1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data communication networks and more particularly to a method and apparatus for reassembling streaming files from separate connections.
2. Related Art
Replicating an entire file onto multiple file servers is a technique that can be used to speed up the delivery of data. Once the data has been replicated onto multiple servers, and the servers have been geographically dispersed, the data can be delivered to an end user from the closest available server. In addition, the data can be delivered from multiple servers simultaneously, where each server provides a portion of the total file. However, replicating the full file onto a large number of servers uses large amounts of expensive disk storage. For instance, a system consisting of a hundred servers with 100 gigabytes of storage each would have a total of 10,000 gigabytes of storage available if data were not replicated. If all files must be fully replicated onto each server, however, the system would only be able to store 100 gigabytes of unique files.
U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/275,408, entitled “Splitting and Redundant Storage on Multiple Servers”, filed Mar. 12, 2001, describes a method and apparatus for dividing a file into multiple sub-files and storing the sub-files onto one or more servers. The servers may be distributed over different geographical locations. When an end user wants the file to be delivered in a streaming fashion, the sub-files can be transmitted in parallel from one or more servers, which increases the rate at which data can be delivered.
While splitting and distributed storage provides many advantages, it creates a daunting re-assembly task for the end-user's machine.
Accordingly, there is a need in the technology for a method and apparatus for overcoming the aforementioned problems.